New Releases by Rebecca L. Johnson

Have you ever wondered what mysteries the ocean holds? Prepare to explore the ocean from sunlit shallows to the deepest, darkest depths. Along the way, you'll meet many incredible creatures that are brand new to science. Dive to a coral reef and spot a new species of pygmy octopus. Travel deeper and discover fragile, nearly transparent jellies as they drift past. Then head down into a world of eternal night. You'll encounter animals that make their own light and zombie worms that feast on the bones of dead whales. Your adventure is based on the real journeys of scientists involved in the Census of Marine Life. From 2000 to 2010, more than two thousand researchers from eighty-two countries carried out the most extensive investigation of ocean life ever attempted. Author Rebecca L. Johnson takes readers to research sites around the globe, showing how ocean scientists do their work. Stunning photographs throughout bring readers face-to-face with some of the most mesmerizing creatures on Earth.

An immersive, high-interest approach to the highly curricular topic of biomes

Take a walk in the tundra. In this cold, harsh biome at the top of the world, summer is short. Carpets of wildflowers and grasses bloom in the bright sunlight. An arctic fox pup catches sight of a lemming. The fox pup pounces . . . . The closer you look, the more life you see. Mosses, grasses, and wildflowers grow in the thin soil. Animals from bees to bears depend on the life growing in this chilly habitat Learn about this windy landscape though narrative text, crisp photos, and illustrations.

Take a walk in the deciduous forest. Sunlight filters through new green leaves. It's early summer, and squirrels are chattering in the treetops. A warbler calls out. She's building a nest in an oak tree. A fox crouches behind a stump. Will he find a fat mouse for his next meal? Or will he go searching for berries? Discover this critical forest habitat through narrative text, striking photos, and illustations.

Take a walk in the desert. It's hot and dry―and full of life. An elf owl peers out at you from its home, a hole in a saguaro cactus. Nearby, a desert tortoise stretches its neck to nibble on a wildflower. From the thick green stems of cacti to fluffy jackrabbits, the desert is teeming with life. Narrative text and you-are-there photos put the reader in the middle of this misunderstood biome and critical habitat. The interdependence of plant and animal species comes alive in these immersive looks at North American biomes. Descriptive text engages the senses as it takes readers through each habitat. Scientifically accurate illustrations and striking photos add to the you-are-there approach.

Allocation of natural resources has become a prominent concern at the local, state, and federal level. Competing uses for increasingly scarce resources are requiring that the relative values of those uses be investigated. Although many types of value are important in decision making, this book is concerned with the economic value of natural resources. Economic values for certain natural resources are readily observable in markets. For others, however, market prices are not available, and estimates of value must be made through nonmarket valuation techniques. The progress that has been made in improving the theory, methods, and applications of these techniques has been remarkable. Along with the progress, however, come new problems that must be addressed. The chapters presented in this volume are a collection of examples of both progress and problems.

In the animal kingdom, survival is the name of the game—and not everything is as it seems. A number of animals rely on particularly clever tricks to fool predators or prey. A baby bird mimics a poisonous caterpillar. A moth escapes bats by making sounds that interfere with the bats' echolocation. A tiny rain forest spider builds a big spider "puppet" out of bits of dead leaves, insect parts, and other items. Find out more about some of nature's most bizarre and bloodthirsty con artists and meet the scientists who are working to figure out just how they pull off their amazing tricks.

The muscular system is made up of three different kinds of muscles: skeletal muscles, smooth muscle, and heart muscle. But what does each kind of muscle do? And where in the body are they located? Explore the muscular system in this engaging and informative book.

The octopus spies a nice, tasty mantis shrimp. It swims over for a closer look at the small creature. Then—WHAM!—the mantis shrimp strikes a nasty blow with its hammer-like forelimb. The octopus shrinks back, defeated. That wasn't such an easy meal after all . . . In nature, good defenses can mean the difference between surviving a predator's attack and becoming its lunch. Some animals rely on sharp teeth and claws or camouflage. But that's only the beginning. Meet creatures with some of the strangest defenses known to science. How strange? Hagfish that can instantaneously produce oodles of gooey, slippery slime; frogs that poke their own toe bones through their skin to create claws; young birds that shoot streams of stinking poop; and more.

Are zombies real? As far as we know, dead people do not come back to life and start walking around, looking for trouble. But there are things that can take over the bodies and brains of innocent creatures, turning them into senseless slaves. Meet nature's zombie makers—including a fly-enslaving fungus, a suicide worm, and a cockroach-taming wasp—and their victims.

In the 1880s, science witnessed a major shift: Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution. People dug up the first dinosaur fossils. And the field of paleontology—the study of ancient plants and animals—emerged. Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope became enthralled with these new ideas, discoveries, and developments. Both were determined to become world-famous paleontologists. When they met in 1863, they started off as friends. But within a few years, competition drove the men apart. Each fought bitterly to discover more fossils, name more species, and publish more papers than the other. In their haste to outdo each other, they both produced some shoddy work. The resulting confusion took many years to discover and correct, and their toxic relationship crippled the field of paleontology for decades afterward. However, the competition also produced a wealth of fossils. These laid a firm foundation for the field of paleontology and supported Darwin's theory of evolution. Marsh's and Cope's discoveries generated keen public interest in prehistoric life and rich data for future generations of paleontologists. This book explores the great rivalry between Marsh and Cope, showing how it brought out the best and the worst in them—while bringing humankind a brand-new view of life on Earth.

A resource organized by body system lists the key herbal remedies available, their uses, and cautionary advice, in a book that includes full-color photos, a glossary and several thematic indexes.

Follow a number of scientific investigations looking for the causes of climate change.

An illustrated compendium of information on plants and their diverse therapeutic properties and benefits brings together folklore, scientific research, and medical theory to describe hundreds of plants and their origins.--

6 PACK, PART OF MICROQUESTS SET

Tells the story of how scientists unlocked the secrets of the atom and revolutionized the way we look at the world around us.

Machines make work easier to do.

"Four students travel to dry, icy Antarctica to study the AdeÌ1lie penguins. They use all they have learned to make an important rescue by themselves"--Publisher's website

The reader follows scientists as they travel to the ocean floor, visit an underground cave, and peer into the world of noctural animals. Describes tools and techniques scientists use to gather information. Explains how a hydrothermal vent can support life. Describes some of the challenges scientists face in exploring underground environments. Explains how animals adapt to a nocturnal environment.

Provides opportunities for students to develop and apply fundamental mathematical and scientific skills.

You probably know that your body is made of different kinds of cells. But did you know that you started out as just one cell? So did all animals! Find out how a whole animal grows from that first cell. Through close-up color photos of cells and cell parts, you will learn what special talents your cellsand the cells of other animalshave. In fact, you might be surprised at how much you have in common with a frog, a mouse, or a chicken. Are you ready for this microquest?

Do you realize there are about 100 trillion cells in your body? That's a lot of cells to manage! It's a good thing they are organized into systems that all work together. This book takes you on a journey inside your body to see many types of cells skin cells, blood cells, muscle cells, and more magnified hundreds or thousands of times larger than their actual size. You'll find out how groups of cells work together to keep your body running. Are you ready for this microquest?

Describes the physical characteristics and habitat of carnivorous plants, including pitcher plants, venus fly traps, and cobra lilies.

An illustrated compendium of information on plants and their diverse therapeutic properties and benefits brings together folklore, scientific research, and medical theory to describe hundreds of plants and their origins.--

Learn what satellites do for us.

Offers information about nanotechnology, a new scientific field that involves moving individual atoms and molecules around to create things on an ultra-small scale.

Discusses the National Weather Service and its importance in keeping us safe by forecasting severe weather conditions.

Describes the structure and function of the human digestive system.

Discusses the function of the muscular system and how it works, and explains how to keep muscles healthy and functioning properly.

Takes readers on a walk in a swamp, showing examples of how the animals and plants of wetlands are connected and dependent on each other and the wetland's watery environment.